Machine for installing and removing poles



Oct. 16, 1962 H M. COLLINS, JR 3,053,533

MACHINE FOR INSTALLING AND REMOVING POLES Filed Nov. 4, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR H.M.COLL|NS ,JR.

ll I 0 ATTORNEY Oct. 16, 1962 H. M. COLLINS, JR 3,053,533

MACHINE FOR INSTALLING AND REMOVING POLES Filed Nov. 4, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 CHAIN POLE CRADLE POLE CONVEYOR CLAMP OPERATOR ELEVATOR DRILL JACKS men PRESSURE STORAGE TANK mvs NTOR H.M.COLLIN$,JR

BY ATTORNEY Oct. 16, 1962 M. COLLINS, JR 3,058,533

MACHINE FOR INSTALLING AND REMOVING POLES Filed Nov. 4, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR H.M.COLLIN$,JR

v ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofilice Patented Oct. 16, 1962 3,058,533 MAC FOR INSTALLING AND REMOVING POLES Hight M. Collins, In, 504 /2 W. Vernon St., Kinston, N.C. Filed Nov. 4, 1958, Ser. No. 771,830 8 Claims. (Cl. 175201) This invention relates to communication and to the facilities employed therein and more particularly to the installation and removal of poles or the like supports, all or a portion of which are imbed'ded in the earth and at least on some of which are strung wires or cables for use in the transmission of impulses.

The invention relates specifically to a machine or device by which poles may be transported and by which poles may be installed and removed, such poles being adapted to be used as supports including for foundation pilings, telephone, telegraph, high tension or other lines or the like.

The installation and removal of poles used in pilings for telephone, telegraph and high tension lines and for other purposes not only has been difficult and timeconsuming, but has required a large number of workmen and consequently has been relatively expensive, also such installation and removal has been done one at a time by multiple groups making it necessary to employ large personnel with some being idle while others work.

An object of the invention is to provide relatively compact structure for supporting the poles in horizontal position during transportation, for elevating the poles into position to be erected one at a time, and for moving the poles from a horizontal or prone position to an upright position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for transporting poles including a frame and a cradle pivoted thereon provided with clamps for securing apole thereto, with such cradle hydraulically movable from a horizontal to an upright position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for carrying poles to and from a place of installation, hydraulically actuated or other means for drilling a hole, a cradle with means for securing a pole to the same, and hydraulic or other means for moving such cradle from a horizontal to an upright position to install a pole.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan View illustrating one application of the invention;

FIG. 2, a side elevation;

FIG. 3, a front end elevation; 1

FIG. 4, an enlarged fragmentary perspective of the rear end portion of the machine;

FIG. 5, a diagrarnmetic flow chart of the hydraulic system of the invention;

FIG. 6, a section on the line 66 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7, a section on the line 77 of FIG. 4;

'FIG. 8, a section on the line 88 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 9, a section on the line 99 of FIG. 8.

Briefly stated, the invention is a machine or device for transporting, digging a hole, and installing posts or poles and for removing poles from the ground, such device comprising a supporting structure including a frame with leveling jacks at the rear of such frame. A cradle is pivoted on the frame and upon such cradle poles are secured, central rollers being provided for moving the poles endwise within the pivoted cradle. A plurality of poles are supported by means of racks at each side of the device and such racks are elevated by hydraulic means under the control of an operator and the poles are discharged one at a time from opposite sides of the device onto the cradle. The cradle is mounted on a transverse pivot so that it can be swung from a horizontal or prone to a substantially upright position and hydraulic means is provided for supplying the necessary force to the several components.

With continued reference to the drawings, the pole installation and removal machine of the present invention includes a structure 10 in the form of a truck, railway car, boat or the like for transportation of poles from one location to another. On the truck or other transportation medium is mounted a frame of opposed side members 11 and 11.2 with diagonal braces 13 and cross braces 14 and 15.

The side frame members 11 and 12 are connected at their front ends by a cross bar 16, of a length greater than the width of the spacing of the frame members 11 and 12 so that the ends of such cross bar extend beyond each side of the frame and are joined to side members 17 and 18 connected to a front cross bar 19 (FIG. 3). The cross bars 16 and 19 and side members 17 and 18 extend around the four sides of the cab of the truck. The frame is made of substantial length in view of the fact that the poles that are intended to be supported are relatively long and project beyond the ends of the frame of the structure on which they are mounted.

In order to support a plurality of poles two or more braces 20 (FIG. 4) are disposed across and secured to the frame members 11 and 12 and to the forward end of the side members 17 and I8. Brackets 21 are fixed to the braces substantially midway between the center of the frame and the ends of braces 20. Between the outer ends of the braces 20 and brackets 21 are supported pole racks or conveyors composed of a pair of substantially parallel side members 22 and 23. The side members 22 and 23 are provided with endless U-shaped channels or tracks 24 and 25 (FIG. 7) secured along the inner edge portion for the reception of rollers 26 carried by pins 28 of an endless chain 29. The side members 22 and 23 are held in fixed parallel relation by a series of bolts 30 in association with spacers 31 (FIG. 9).

Several links of the chain 29 have been removed and replaced by outwardly and upwardly curved prongs or pole supports 32 which become an integral part of the chain. The side members 23 and 24 and tracks 25 and 26 are adapted to have access doors 33 and 34 attached by hinges 35 and secured in closed position in any suitable manner as by latch or fastening means 36 and 37 and locking pins 38. Such accessdoors are adapted to swing out as shown in phantom in FIG. 7 for removal or repair of the chain 29.

The endless chain 29 is adapted to be driven by a sprocket 39 mounted on a shaft 40.driven from a hydraulic motor or turbine.41 attached to the upper end of a side member 23. Thesprocket 39 is provided with a pawl 42 which prevents the sprocket from traveling in a reverse direction, such pawl being urged into intimate contact with the sprocket by a spring 43. The endless chain 29 is adapted to be engaged by an idler sprocket 44 mounted on a shaft 45 at the lower end of the rack or conveyor 22. The upper extremity of the side members 23 and 24 are provided with inwardly extending channels 46 and 47 joined at their inner ends by a cross member 48 to provide an inclined plane down which the poles may move onto a cradle of members 49 and 50 substantially along the axis of the truck or other transportation structure. The cradle 49 is held in fixed spaced relation to the frame by spaced inclined posts or supports 51 (FIG. 3) and its outer ends and a substantially vertical post 52 at its center.

The cradle member 50 is adapted to be mounted on the forward end of a pivoted platform 53 comprising a pair of side members 54 and 55 and cross members 56, 57, 58 and 59. A lug or pivot plate 60 is mounted beneath the side members 54 and 55 slightly rearwardly of the center of gravity of the platform 53. The platform 53 is pivotally mounted on a pair of pivot pins 61 which pass through the lug or pivot plate and extend through a rearwardly disposed arm 62 of a column or post 63, attached to the rear of the side frame members 11 and 12. The forward end of the platform 53 rests on and is supported by columns or posts 64.

The platform 53 is provided with a freely rotatable roller 65 journalled on a shaft 66 on longitudinal braces 67 located between the cross braces 56 and 57. A third cradle member 68 is mounted atop the rear end of the platform 53 and is adapted to be slightly lower than the cradle members 49 and 50 so that when a pole is received in the cradle members 49 and 50 there will be a slight clearance of the cradle member 68.

A drive roller 69 is mounted on a shaft 70 supported by a longitudinal brace 71 and extends outwardly beyond such brace. The shaft 70 is driven at one end by a hydraulic motor and reduction gear 72, and a brake drum 73 is mounted on the opposite end in such a manner that a pole may be lowered from the platform 53 when the latter is in a vertical position without the necessity of using the hydraulic motor 72. In order to maintain complete control of the raising and lowering movement of the pole a drive wheel 69 is provided having a plurality of teeth 74 which penetrate the pole and prevent slippage thereof.

In order to bring the pole into intimate contact with the teeth on the driving roller 69 a pair of hydraulically operated tongs or clamps 75 are pivotally mounted by pins 76 upon the cross braces 57' and 59.

A hydraulic cylinder 77 and an operating piston 78 are provided between the arms of the clamp with such piston 78 pivotally attached to one arm and the cylinder 77 pivotally mounted on the other arm. Each of such arms is adapted to have a pair of rollers 79 mounted therein to allow the poles to move transversely of such clamps under the influence of the driving roller 69. With a pole resting on the cradle members 49 and 50 the clamps 75 are energized to partially encircle the lower end of the pole and to cantilever such pole out of the cradle member 49, into the cradle members 50 and 68 as Well as into engagement with the teeth 74 of the driving roller 69.

Platform 53 is adapted to be pivoted about the pin 61 and in order to accomplish this a link 80 may be pivotally connected to a lug 81 attached to the under side of the side members 54 and 55 and forwardly of the lugs 60. The opposite end of the link 80 is pivotally carried by a link 82 and is connected thereto and to the links 80 and 82 on the opposite side of the platform by a shaft 83, the lower end of links 82 being pivotally mounted on a lug 84 on the side frames 11 and 12.

In order to raise the platform 53, a hydraulic cylinder 85 is provided having a piston rod 86 pivotally attached tothe shaft 83,- and the opposite end of such cylinder is pivotally mounted to a pair of lugs 87 on the cross brace 14.

The platform 53 also is adapted to carry means to drill the hole into which the pole will be placed. For this purpose an auger 88 is provided on one extremity of a drill shaft 89 having reverse spirals by which the auger may be raised and lowered. A reversible hydraulically operated gear box 90 is pivotally mounted by a pivot pin 91 to a mounting lug 92 centrally on the underside of the cross brace 58.

In order to operate the auger 88, the drill shaft 89 is extended so that its forward end is rearward of the cross brace 57 at which time the gear box 90 may be pivoted upwardly and latched in a substantially horizontal position so that the drill shaft will be substantially vertical. The gear box 90 is then operated to drill a hole to the depth required and then reversed and then returned to an inoperative position below the platform 53. After the hole has been drilled a pole is placed in the cradles and the clamps 75 made to encircle the pole to force the latter into contact with the drive roller 69. Platform 53 then is pivoted to a substantially vertical position to place the pole directly in line with the hole previously drilled. The drive roller 69 is then rotated to lower the pole into the hole, the clamps released and the truck or other supporting structure moved forwardly and the platform returned to its initial horizontal position.

In order to stabilize the rear of the vehicle during the drilling and placing of the poles, leveling jacks are provided one on each side of the frame at the rear thereof. The leveling jacks are in the form of hydraulic cylinders 93 and 94 having pistons 95 and 96 the lower ends of which are attached by pins 97 and 98 to a pair of lugs 99 and 100 welded or otherwise attached to plates 101 and 102. The upper end of the cylinders 93 and 94 are supported by arms 103 and 104 attached to pairs of brackets 105 and 106 by pivot pins 107 and 108. Locking pins 109 and 110 are provided to maintain the arms 103 and 104 either in extended or retracted position.

Power is supplied to the various components by a gaso line motor 111 which drives a hydraulic pump 112 connected by a line 113 to a high pressure storage tank 114. A hydraulic line 115- supplies fluid under pressure to the components through a series of check valves 116 and fluid is returned to a sump 117 through a line 118 and check valves 119.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for transporting poles and for digging a hole in the earth and installing and removing poles comprising supporting stucture including levelling jacks at the rear thereof, a cradle pivoted on such supporting structure, means for securing a pole to said cradle, means for moving the poles endwise relative to said cradle, a conveyor rack for supporting poles at each side on said device, means for actuating said rack means for elevating the poles lengthwise and upwardly onto said cradle, mounting means for said cradle whereby it may be swung from a horizontal or prone position to a substantially up right position, an auger carried by said cradle for drilling a hole in the earth into which a pole may be deposited, and hydraulic means for supplying power for operating said device.

2. A device for transporting poles and for digging a hole in the earth and installing and removing poles comprising supporting structure, a cradle pivoted on such supporting structure, means for securing a pole to said cradle, means for moving the poles endwise relative to said cradle, parallel conveyor means mounted at one side of the supporting structure for supporting and elevating said poles onto the cradle, said conveyor means engaging the ends of each of said poles and moving the poles upwardly towards said cradle, mounting means for said cradle whereby it may be swung from a horizontal or prone position to a substantially upright position, an auger carried by said cradle for drilling a hole in the earth into which a pole may be deposited, and hydraulic means for supplying power for operating said device.

3. Adevice for transporting poles and for digging a hole in the earth and installing and removing poles com-' prising supporting structure, a cradle pivoted on such supporting structure, means for securing a pole to said cradle, means for moving the poles endwise relative to said cradle, rack means for supporting poles at the side on said device, means for actuating said rack means for elevating the poles onto said cradle, mounting means for said cradle whereby it may be swung from a horizontal or prone position to a substantially upright position, and

an auger carried by said cradle for drilling a hole in the earth into which a pole may be deposited.

4. In a device for storing and installing poles, at vehicle, endless belt conveyor means mounted at the forward and rearward end of said vehicle, said belt means including a plurality of curved prongs mounted to said belt, said curved prongs of said conveyor means being adapted to receive and support the ends of a plurality of poles, means for actuating said endless belt conveyor means for elevating said poles, a cradle including a plurality of downwardly extending runways for receiving and supporting said elevated poles and providing a runway for transferring said poles into the central portion of the cradle, rotatable means carried by, said cradle for engaging the surface of a pole located in said cradle and for moving the pole endwise toward one end of said vehicle, means located on said cradle for grasping a pole and arcuately moving the extended end of a pole downwardly in a manner that the pole will be placed in a substantially vertical position adjacent the ground, and for thereafter moving the pole endwise toward the ground.

5. In a device for storing and positioning poles, a vehicle, a pole feeding mechanism including a pair of endless belt conveyors, said belt conveyors each including a belt and a plurality of curved prongs extending outwardly and upwardly from said belt, said curved prongs being adapted to receive and support the ends of a pole in a horizontal position, means to rotate the endless belt for elevating a pole supported by the prongs thereon, flanged rollers carried by the vehicle in cooperating relationship with said feeding mechanism, one of said rollers having a plurality of annularly arranged spikes adapted to engage one face of the elevated pole, grappling tongs with rollers adapted to engage the opposing face of the elevated pole, means to pivot the rearward end of said vehicle downwardly including said tongs and elevated pole thereby positioning the elevated pole substantially vertically, means to rotate said one roller with its spikes engaging against the vertically arranged pole moving said pole endwise along the rollers and toward the ground.

6. A device for transporting and installing poles comprising a vehicle having a longitudinal supporting structure, substantially vertically disposed rack means along each side of said supporting structure, each of said rack means including endless belt conveyor means having a plurality of cooperating prongs projecting outwardly therefrom, said prongs being adapted to receive and support poles, means for actuating said endless belt means to elevate said poles, a platform pivotally mounted on the rear of said vehicle, cradles at the forward and rear ends of said platform adapted to support a pole, a freely rotatable roller mounted adjacent to the cradle at the forward end of said platform, a drive roller having a plurality of teeth mounted adjacent to the cradle at the rear end of said platform, means for urging said pole into engagement with said rollers, means for moving said platform from a generally horizontal to a generally vertical position, and means for rotating said drive roller to move the pole longitudinally of said platform whereby the pole may be lowered into contact with the earth or raised out of contact therewith.

7. The structure of claim 6 having a gear box pivotally mounted beneath said platform, said gear box being adapted to operate independently of said platform, an auger carried by said gear box whereby said auger may be positioned vertically to drill a hole in the ground and then returned to an inoperative position beneath said platform before the platform is operated.

8. A device for transporting, installing and removing poles comprising a supporting structure, a cradle pivotally mounted on said supporting structure, rack means for supporting poles at opposite sides of said supporting structure, means for actuating said rack means for elevating the poles one at a time onto said cradle, means for securing a pole on said cradle, said cradle being mounted in a manner to be swung from a horizontal position to a substantially upright position and a drive roller having a plurality of annularly arranged spikes being mounted on said cradle for moving the poles endwise relative thereto whereby a pole may be transferred from the rack means onto the cradle and moved from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially upright position and moved lengthwise of said cradle into a hole in the earth.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 762,490 Parker June 14, 1904 902,410 Jackson et al. Oct. 27, 1908 1,138,972 Prevost May 11, 1915 1,953,056 Olen Mar. 27, 1934 2,138,842 Drew Dec. 6, 1938 2,189,052 Anthony Feb. 6, 1940 2,396,614 Somes Mar. 12, 1946 2,780,376 Sanders Feb. 5, 1957 2,783,971 Carle Mar. 5, 1957 2,792,947 Weedman May 21, 1957 2,814,396 Neale Nov. 26, 1957 2,969,844 Hamrick Jan. 31, 196-1 

